Blade of the Fox II
by Zeratide
Summary: It's been four years since the death of Sasuke, and Naruto is finally feeling at peace. But in his entire life, when have things ever gone as planned? The Templars will rise again, and the Fox will rise with them. Rated M for language, gore, and eventual sexual content.
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys! Zeratide here, with the first chapter of the sequel to Blade of the Fox. This one's just to ease us in, familiarize us with what's happened in the amount of time that's passed and to set the scene; namely, that of temporary peace. So, without further ado, here is the first chapter.

* * *

Naruto took a deep breath, hefting the blade in his right hand, feeling the weight move through the air. The seven men and women surrounding him hefted their own blades, and three of them charged him; one from the right, one from his front-left, and one from his rear-left. _Very good tactic, _he thought as they advanced, _they plan to have me face against one while the other two attack my rear._ He quickly strafed to his rear-right, removing the advantage and forcing them to take him on face-to-face. One of the attackers aimed an overhead blow at his right shoulder, but he deflected it to the side, reaching forward and grabbing him firmly by the collar with his left hand. A hard shove sent him sprawling into his allies, and the three went down in a tangle of limbs and cloaks. Three quick stabs had each of them lying still.

The other four, obviously the most experienced, all formed in a loose ring around him, moving forward one step at a time in sync. Naruto quickstepped to the side, but they swiftly moved to compensate, and he knew he would be unable to outmaneuver them. _Pre-emptive strike, _he thought as he adjusted his stance, crouching so low that it looked as if he were about to touch his chin to the ground. His left hand shot out, grabbing a handful of loose sand, and he tossed it in a circle around him, blinding his attackers for a few precious moments. He hopped diagonally around a blind slash, adding a stab to his opponent's heart as he went by. Twisting as the woman fell to the dust, he performed a high kick, the steel toe of his boot connecting with a second enemy's forehead. As he fell back grunting in pain, Naruto continued on, locking blades with a second woman.

As the two struggled in the deadlock, the final enemy finally managed to clear the sand from his eyes. Growling in anger, he raised his sword and charged forward, clashing at the back of Naruto's head. Slipping out of the deadlock, Naruto ducked just as the blade passed through where his head had been. The woman fell back as the sword collided with her face, and Naruto stabbed the final man in the stomach.

"Dead, every one of you," Naruto said as the Assassins picked themselves off the ground, groaning in pain while the audience cheered. Tenten pinched the bridge of her nose where Kiba's dulled blade had collided with her, and Hinata painfully rubbed her breast where Naruto had stabbed her with his own dulled blade. "Apprentices, you should take a lesson from your seniors; it is better to wait and feel out your opponent before you attack. Although, when your opponent is me, you should probably run the other way." The senior Assassins laughed at the Apprentices' embarrassed looks, before Naruto motioned for them all to leave.

_Four years, _he thought, watching as the young Apprentices ran throughout the field. Despite the scant amount of snow, they had transformed an entire field just outside of the village into a fairground, covered with pavilions, shows, games, and restaurant stalls celebrating the anniversary of the end of the Templars (namely, Sasuke's death). _Four years since Sasuke's death… four years since I was seventeen, too young to really know where my life would take me._ At twenty-one, Naruto stood at six foot one, with shaggy blonde hair that unbound fell to his shoulders under his cowl, though the hood was down at the moment. Rolling his neck, Naruto strode through the cold grounds to the jousting lanes, watching several of his mid-ranking Assassins make the run. _Why is it that the medieval games always do so well?_ Naruto wondered. A number of rifle games were on the other side of the field, though few people perused them. _I suppose there's just something more satisfying about facing your opponent man-to-man…_

"Daddy!" a small voice called, and he turned around, sighting a flash of pink-blonde hair before he was bowled over. "Daddy, Mommy was wooking for you…" Naruto smiled at his three-year old daughter, Ame, mussing her hair as he kissed her cute round nose. She had inherited her father's energetic nature alongside his whisker-like birthmarks, though most of her features were her mother's; she was practically her mother's clone. Her hair was pink with blonde streaks running through, and her eyes were mismatched; one was the emerald of Sakura's, and one was the cerulean of her father's. "Wook what I found, Daddy!" she announced, happily showing off a little squirrel she had somehow managed to catch. "Can I keep him? Pwease?"

"Sorry honey," he said, pulling the squirrel gently out of her hand. "He probably has a family, and his little ones will miss him." Ame pouted, her lip sticking out, and Naruto gave her a soft smile. "I'll tell you what, why don't we ask your uncle Kiba if the Inuzuka have any puppies they'd be willing to let you have, okay?" Ame grinned, nodding her head wildly as Naruto released the squirrel. "Now, off with you." Ame ran toward the Ichiraku stall, grinning and talking excitedly to Ayame. Rising back to his full height, Naruto rolled his shoulders, the hem of his Grand Master Robes rising and falling with the motion. _God, I'm stiff lately,_ he thought as he scanned the crowd for his wife. _Guess I've battered myself up pretty good though, what with the training for the fair I put my men and myself through._

Spotting Sakura's head above the crowd, he wove his way between the people, his training still allowing him to blend seamlessly, despite his fame amongst his people. Nobody noticed their Hokage as he walked, and he preferred to keep it that way at this particular moment; if they did notice him, there would likely be an endless stream of people congratulating him on the games, and a number of foreign Assassins wishing to speak with him. _I never should have revealed the Elemental Nations to the outside world, _he grumbled inwardly to himself. _Sure, William Miles was pleased to hear that there were more members of the Order, but it's been such a hassle to try and keep our existence a secret from the common people._ As it turned out, Desmond Miles had managed to save the world while Naruto was working to find a way to contact the outside Assassins, but Naruto still wanted to try and keep his homeland isolated, free from the judgment of the outside world. _Ninjas, Assassins, all they'll see is barbaric murderers, despite our technological advancements._

Finally reaching Sakura, he gently strode up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling her neck. "You called, my lady?" he murmured, and a small smile curled her sultry lips, further accentuating the beauty she had grown into. Motherhood and a little more time to grow had given her a decent figure, and her expressions were always softer now that the Nations were in a considerable state of peace.

"Yes, I did," she said, turning and raising onto her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his lips. She wore a simple set of clothing to the fair; comfortable jeans that framed the curve of her hip, a warm green sweater over a pink t-shirt, and boots flecked with a small bit of mud. "I thought that my husband might want to join me for a horseback demonstration over at the southern pavilion." Naruto grinned, holding out his arm, and Sakura laughed, looping her arm through his and resting her head against his broad shoulder as they walked. The vendors all recognized him and gave him subtle nods, but they did not speak to him on his request. "You know, I think that 2016 is a much better year for us than 2012 was," she said casually. "After all, for most of that year I was Sasuke's concubine, but then lo and behold you sweep in and save me. We've had a full year together this time, just like the last three years."

"And I know that we'll have many more," Naruto said, kissing her forehead. As they finally reached the horse track, Naruto whistled to the Konohamaru, who had taken a job as stable boy under Rose since the end of the Templar threat. "Hey, Konohamaru. Do me a favor, bring me Kaze and Dancer, and ask Rose to add us to the lists." Konohamaru nodded, making a brief message in sign language before running off. _Poor boy, _he thought to himself. _The night of the raid on the Templars, he had his tongue cut out. Hasn't spoken since. Still though, he could have been one of the two-thirds of the thieves that didn't survive, so he's lucky._ They waited for several minutes, before Konohamaru reappeared, leading Naruto's black stallion Kaze in one hand, Sakura's roan mare Dancer in the other. Rose was close behind, dressed in her usual denim jeans and white t-shirt, a wide-brimmed sunhat on top of her head. "How are you not cold?" Naruto asked her offhandedly, giving her a friendly hug.

"Well, you get to running around enough around here and your body takes care of the rest," she replied, shaking Sakura's hand. "So, you wanna be entered into the lists, eh? Which one? We got the races, we got the tricks, later on we'll have a jousting tournament as opposed to the demonstration your boys are giving out there." Naruto allowed Sakura to go first, listening as his wife signed up for the race and the tricks, before Naruto put down his own entry in the race and jousting. Rose went off, shouting orders to her dozens of assistants, and Naruto and Sakura changed into riding clothes.

"Naruto," a voice called out behind him, and he turned to see Sai standing a polite distance away, giving him a friendly smile (which he had finally mastered after three years of practice). "Master, I have some routine reports I would like to discuss with you."

"Go on," Sakura said, lightly kissing his cheek. "I'll do the tricks while you two talk. Then once you're done, I'll make you eat my dust during the race." She grinned mischievously, before walking off, adding a little extra sway to her step to tease her husband.

"This is about my children, right?" Naruto asked. After Sakura had found out about his arrangement with Hinata, and a few other surprises that Naruto himself hadn't known about, she had made her then-fiancé sleep on the couch for a month and a half. Afterward, she had forgiven him, but she always became rather grumpy when they were talked about in front of her.

"Yes Master," Sai replied. "Just the routine information. The Hyuuga twins, Kushina and Roku, have been doing well. Hinata recently began teaching them some of the Hyuuga techniques, and they have been showing the early signs of the Eagle Sense ability you possess. Shizune's son Hiroshi-" _one of the surprises, _Naruto thought, "-has unfortunately been unable to show any of the signs of possessing shinobi abilities. He therefore will be unable to join the Ninja Corps, though he ought to make a fine Assassin nonetheless." Sai trailed off then, and Naruto gave him a curious glance.

"And what of Kya?" he asked, referring to the child Temari had given birth to nine months after their Christmas affair. _Yet another surprise. She should at least have sent a message letting me know of her condition. That was an uncomfortable New Year's Party._

"She seems to have gotten into a little bit of trouble here at the fair," Sai said, averting his eyes. "Evidently she decided to play a few pranks. One thing led to another, and now half-dozen guests are glued to as many toilets." Naruto groaned, palming his face in embarrassment. "I'm afraid that's not the end of the list, my friend."

"Please tell me you're joking."

"I'm afraid not. She currently is hiding from the Assassins you assigned to keep things under control, and she seems to have a nasty little habit of showing up behind people and painting lewd symbols on their backs with spray paint." To illustrate the point, Sai turned around, displaying a blue, childish depiction of the male genitalia.

"…If I'm not back in time for the race, ride Kaze in my stead."

* * *

Kya giggled as she hid in one of the dozens of decorative bushes that dotted the fairground. Her whisker-marked face was smeared with dirt, her blue eyes shining with mirth, and her sandy-blonde hair was a tangled mess of twigs and leaves. She wore a pair of blue jeans with both knees torn up and a purple sweater over a light green shirt. An orange scarf was wrapped around her neck and lower face, leaving only her eyes and above visible. She silenced her giggles as a small group of Assassins went by, marked with her blue paint, obviously looking for her. They looked in every direction, before moving on. Once they were gone, she giggled again.

"Kya," a stern voice said behind her, and she froze, before slowly turning to find herself face-to-face with her father. She squeaked as he lifted her out of the bush, struggling as he set her over his shoulder.

"Daddy!" she shrieked, squirming as he casually strode through the fairgrounds. "Daddy, put me down!" He adjusted her on his shoulder, bouncing her into the air for a minute, and she shrieked again, though this time it ended in a laugh. Her legs bounced against his chest as he walked, and she managed to pull her can of spray pain out of her sleeve, aiming it at his back.

"Don't even think about it," Naruto said, reaching over his shoulder with his opposite hand and pulling the paint out of her hand. Looking it over, he snorted as he read the brand. "Sheesh, if you're gonna prank someone at least get the good stuff." Kya giggled, before he picked her up off his shoulder, holding her in front of him. "Now, can I trust you to walk next to me without running, or am I going to have to carry you all the way to your mother?"

"I'll walk," she said meekly, her eyes downcast. Naruto sighed, kneeling down in front of her as he set her down.

"Kya," he said, pulling down the orange scarf so she could see her entire face. "I understand that it's hard for you… not being able to see me all the time. Your mother and I… well, your mother and I were… uh…" Naruto took a deep breath, scratching his beard in embarrassment. "Well. Your mother and I are both strong-willed people, Kya. If she would have consented, I would have bought you guys a place here. For whatever her reasons were, she wanted to raise you on her own, Kya, and she's done a wonderful job." _Of course, it's unfortunate that Kya inherited my skill at mischief… poor Temari._ "Just… promise me you'll be good for her, okay? I'll make a deal with you: when you're at home with your mother, you be on your best behavior, but while you're here with me, you and I will pull all the pranks you want, okay?"

"You might regret that promise," Temari said as she walked up, gently taking Kya into her arms. Naruto rose to his feet, taking in her appearance with a quick glance. She had dressed similarly to their daughter, opting for a blue scarf rather than an orange one. Motherhood had changed her since she was nineteen. Her breasts had expanded slightly, and her body had become slightly more curved, as motherhood was wont to cause. All in all, Temari was now a stunning woman of twenty-four. "How have you been, Naruto?" she asked, giving him a friendly smile.

"Busy," he replied, turning back to the horse track and beginning to walk in that direction. Temari followed alongside him, holding Kya to her chest, the little girl's head resting on her mother's shoulder as she fell asleep. "My men and I have been training for three months to make sure that we would be able to put on a good show. The fairground took about two and a half weeks to clear and assemble completely, I had to go through a mountain and a half of paperwork to assure that all of it would be on record, and I had to deal with dozens of other tasks a Hokage must. By the way, what do you think?" he asked, turning and pointing at his carving on the mountain. "Personally, I think it's a very good likeness."

"I see that time has not tempered your sense of humor," Temari teased, pushing his shoulder gently. "I take it Sakura hasn't either." Naruto smiled, wordlessly continuing on. "She wasn't upset with you for inviting us here, was she?" Temari asked.

"No. Sakura may not be happy with me about my children, but she does not deny me the right to see them. Anyway, here we are," he said, walking into the track.

"Naruto!" Sai called from his right, running over with Kaze. "The race is about to start, Master. You won't have time to change, but if you hand me your weapons you ought to have a decent chance." Naruto cursed under his breath, tearing off his bandoliers, sword belt, bracers, holsters, and finally his outer cloak, leaving him in his leather boots, black trousers, cloth belt, and black silk shirt with the slit to the sternum. Temari and Kya were already in the stands by the time he got Kaze to the gate, and as he leapt into the saddle, Sakura appeared next to him, leading Dancer to her lane.

"You almost missed it, dear!" she called out. "Are you that afraid to go against me?" she teased. Naruto grinned, silently reining Kaze up in his own lane. Twelve other horses reined up next to them, and Naruto closed his eyes, breathing deeply as he gently rubbed Kaze's neck. He felt the horse's every breath, the beat of his heart, the movement of every powerful muscle, and Kaze seemed to feel him too. The buzzer sounded, the gate dropped, and they launched forward, hooves flying and muscles rippling. Naruto's eyes shot open, and instantly he saw every detail of the track; the slightest change in grade, the firm earth as compared to the loose earth, and the place where Kaze would set his hooves, without fail. The stallion knew his every thought, and Naruto did not have to give any indication in order for Kaze to go where he wanted. All but Sakura fell far behind, and husband and wife raced neck-and-neck as they neared the halfway mark, then the three-quarter mark.

"Come on, boy," he whispered. "Faster." Kaze reared his head back, letting out a screaming neigh, before he launched forward, his legs flying as he shot ahead, faster than they had ever run. Sakura and Dancer were left in the dust, and Naruto and Kaze breezed past the finish line.

The crowd's cheers fell on deaf ears as Naruto and Kaze slowed, the young man proudly rubbing the horse's neck. "Beautifully done, my friend," he murmured into Kaze's neck. Kaze nickered happily, trotting toward the exit, and Naruto turned in the saddle to wave to the crowd. His eyes landed on a cloaked figure in the highest row, feeling the man's intent gaze burning on him. Naruto blinked, and he was gone.

* * *

Well, there's our introductory chapter folks. Hope you enjoyed. Review and tell me how I did.

-Zeratide, out.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey everyone! First off, I want to point out that while I do have a descendant of Naruto's reliving his memories, I will occasionally switch point-of-view into non-ancestors, so just a heads-up on that. Second, I greatly enjoyed working on the previous chapter, and after seeing all of your positive reviews I am happy to present the next chapter of Blade of the Fox II.

* * *

_Previously…_

_The crowd's cheers fell on deaf ears as Naruto and Kaze slowed, the young man proudly rubbing the horse's neck. "Beautifully done, my friend," he murmured into Kaze's neck. Kaze nickered happily, trotting toward the exit, and Naruto turned in the saddle to wave to the crowd. His eyes landed on a cloaked figure in the highest row, feeling the man's intent gaze burning on him. Naruto blinked, and he was gone._

* * *

A week had passed since the games, and Naruto sat in his chair in his office, taking a brief pause from the paperwork to allow his mind to drift back to the hooded man. By design, the hood had covered the man's features, but Naruto could tell by the body type that whoever it was possessed strength and agility. _People with those qualities rarely look at me that way with friendly intent, _he thought, curling his short beard around his finger as he thought. _A paranoid Assassin would automatically assume he was a Templar, though a more practical one would believe him to be a lower threat. Either way, something was off about him, and I need to look into this._

"Kiba," he muttered, pulling a paper in front of him as the Inuzuka appeared in front of him, dressed in ANBU equipment. Although he was an Assassin already, Kiba had volunteered to take on the additional tasks of ANBU, allowing him to further extend his aid to his Master by working closely with both shadow organizations. "I want you to gather two teams. One from ANBU, one from the Assassins, three to each team. At the games I saw a man whom instinct told me was a threat. Cloaked, so I didn't see his face, though he was athletic. Keep eyes out for anyone acting suspicious around important areas and see if you can't pick up some information from the street." Naruto pulled a few ryo out on his last words, handing them to Kiba. "Remember, money loosens tongues faster than threats. Move out." Kiba snapped to attention, saluted, and disappeared.

Naruto returned to his work, breezing through the files and forms with practiced ease. _My youth gives me an edge on Tsunade and Lord Third, _he thought to himself as he read through a purchase order from the Academy. _I have more energy, and my mind is sharper, if not as wise. _He was signing the final page as a knock sounded on his door. "Enter," he said as he moved the paper to his finished pile, leaving his desk clear. Shikamaru managed to shoulder the door open, awkwardly moving the large crate in his arms through the door frame as Naruto got up and held the door open for him.

"Just twist it a little bit this way, and… there we go," Shikamaru said as he finally managed to get into the room. Naruto rolled his eyes as the genius set the crate down in front of the Hokage's desk, looking up and seeming confused when Naruto was not in his seat. Shikamaru grinned embarrassedly when he saw Naruto behind him, waiting as the Hokage moved into his chair before removing the lid off the wooden crate. The young man was dressed in his usual work shirt and apron, and his cheeks bore a dark shadow of hair, evidence to Naruto's assumption that Shikamaru had gone on another of his inventing sprees. "I finished the blueprints for the integrated weapons and nano-circuitry in the Assassin cloaks, and even managed to make two prototypes," the Nara exclaimed proudly. Naruto motioned for him to continue, and Shikamaru reached into the crate, pulling out an unassuming Assassin cloak.

"Now when the Assassin pulls the cloak on, the first thing that it does is do a bio-scan of the wearer," Shikamaru said as he pulled the cloak on over his clothes. Glowing blue lines appeared, spider-webbing their way across the white fabric with a quiet whir before they disappeared a few seconds later. "Based on the scan, the robes figure out whether or not the wearer is a shinobi or not, which allows them to figure out which system of power they should use. In the case of a non-shinobi, the cloaks run on integrated solar absorption technology, which can also be activated manually by shinobi who don't want to use up their chakra." Reaching up toward the side of his hood, he pressed an area near his temple, causing a translucent bar of material to slide down in front of his eyes. "Ingrained in the hood is a mask that will filter fumes and water, allowing you to breath and hide in unlivable conditions. A sewn-in button activates a voice-command polycarbonate lens that has several different features. It has an infrared scope, night-vision feature, and common zoom. Using knowledge gleaned from the Apple I managed to make the lens indestructible, but the rest of the cloak I am proud to say is all my own work."

"Very impressive," Naruto said as he pulled a blank sheet of paper in front of him. "Is there more to them?"

"I've just begun," Shikamaru said eagerly. Pulling a .22 pistol from a holster on his belt, he tossed the gun to Naruto, who caught it in the air. "Shoot me in the cloak," he said. Naruto shrugged, trusting his friend, and casually aimed for his shoulder, pulling the trigger. The bullet slammed into Shikamaru's shoulder, and the young man stumbled back, but Naruto was amazed to see that the bullet had dropped straight onto the floor. "The cloaks can absorb enough impact to stop most calibers from a distance, but at close range they're ineffective against all but small calibers." Rolling his neck, Shikamaru drew a knife and dragged it across the fabric, before stabbing at his chest. "Tear-resistant, capable of stopping a blade dead. The nano-circuitry automatically repairs any damage done to the cloak, and also keeps it clean."

"Again, very impressive," Naruto said as he finished writing. "Here, this is a commissions order for the cloaks. Take this to Sakura at the front desk; she'll enter the order into the database and see to it that the Assassins pay you for the cloaks you've already made. Once you've finished the commission, she'll see to it that you'll get paid for the rest.

"It almost feels like a crime to take your money," Shikamaru said as he removed the cloak, folding it and putting it back into the crate. "I suppose I can live with myself though." They both chuckled as Shikamaru rummaged through the crate before pulling out a black version of the cloak. "I made one for you, identical to your current Grand Master Robes, the ones inspired by your father's jacket. Consider it my gift." Naruto nodded, shedding his robes before pulling on the robes Shikamaru had made even as the genius struggled through the door.

Once Shikamaru was gone, Naruto slowly moved back to his seat, falling almost heavily into the high-backed chair. "Leave me," he murmured, and the ANBU appeared, saluting before they did as he commanded. Reaching into the hollow meant for his legs, he opened up a false panel of the desk, pulling a leather-wrapped object out. With two movements the ties were undone, and the leather fell away from the orb, revealing the Apple he had stolen from Sasuke after he had killed his former friend.

_Why did you hide it? _Kurama asked him. _Why did you say that it was lost?_

_We already have one Apple: the one that Kakashi managed to steal the night of the siege. Enough people have tried to steal it; if anyone knew that I had the Apple Sasuke and Madara used to take this Village, then they might besiege the Village, try and take both. Furthermore, by keeping the Apple hidden, I resist the temptation. I am not Shikamaru; the Apple will surely try and drive me mad._

_Madness… madness is just a word, Naruto, like murder or right and wrong. No one is completely sane, and there are a thousand shades of gray when it comes to morality._

Naruto grunted, tying the artifact back in its cloth before returning it to its panel. Sakura came in with a pile of paperwork, set it on his desk, gave him a quick kiss, and returned to her desk in the lobby. Sighing, Naruto got back to work.

* * *

As ever, Nathan felt a few seconds of nausea as he came out of the Animus. Arianna unhooked him silently from the machine, turning back to her computer once he was out. Nathan walked out of the remains of the Hokage's office, and strode down the hallways into the lobby, once again observing the skeletons and burns everywhere. Rosa sat in front of the building, singing softly as she rubbed her swollen abdomen, gazing at the Stone Faces. Nathan sat down beside his wife, gently placing his hand on top of hers. "She's almost ready to be born," he murmured, bending over and kissing her abdomen. Rosa smiled, gently running her fingers through his hair as he whispered secrets to their child.

"You know, Arianna and I are a little worried about you," she said, still stroking his hair. "While your ancestor managed to master the Bleeding Effect, that's no guarantee that you'll do the same. Can you honestly tell me that you're not seeing any of the phantoms associated with the Effect?"

"I see no phantoms," Nathan told her as he gazed at the pitted, weathered Stone Faces. "That doesn't mean that I don't feel a strong connection with this place, though. Such history… I can't help but feel swept up in the former beauty of this place." Looking around at the overgrown, shell-like remains of the former village, and he felt a great sadness weigh on his heart. "Naruto fought so hard to make this place what it was. His face is the last on the Stone Faces, meaning that everything he fought so hard for was destroyed in his lifetime. I want to see how, why, and what it all means for us, here and now."

"Just… remember who you are," Rosa told him, gently kissing his lips once he sat up. They plugged him back in the next day, and Naruto's life appeared again before him.

* * *

"Happy New Year!" Naruto screamed over the sounds of the blaring music and cheers. 2016 was gone, and he felt 2017 was full of promise as he lifted Ame into the air, the little girl laughing and trying to grab all the confetti falling through the air. Sakura planted a heated kiss on his lips, wrapping her arms around his waist as Naruto brought Ame down into a family hug. He felt a tug on the hem off his cloak, and he looked down to see Kya giving him a pout, holding her arms out. Sakura slipped away, taking Ame with her as Naruto wrapped his arms around his and Temari's daughter, listening to the girl giggling loudly in his ear. Naruto's other children crowded around him, and he laughed as they all dog-piled on top of him.

"Alright, alright, I surrender!" he gasped as Kya sat on his chest. Kushina and Roku giggled as climbed off his legs, and Hiroshi quietly stood next to his father's head, his arms clasped behind his back as he awkwardly stared at his feet. Sitting up, Naruto caught Kya as she fell backward off his chest, and she shrieked as he held her in a Superman position under his arm. He turned, looking for Temari, and saw her over at the bar, sipping at a Scotch Neat. Walking over to her, he sat on the booth next to her. "I didn't know you guys were still in town," he said, holding a squirming Kya on his lap.

"Gaara wanted to stay for a little bit," Temari said, turning to face her once-lover. She giggled, picking up her daughter as he pointed at his face. "Nice war paint," she giggled, and Naruto picked up a glass, looking at his reflection. A black tic-tac-toe board complete with x's and o's was on his left cheek, a monocle was drawn around his right eye, and a little swirl was drawn on his forehead, all in black marker. Kya giggled as she showed her father the black marker in her hand, and Naruto tried and failed to give her a serious scowl.

"That's my girl," he laughed, ruffling her hair. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to see Sakura standing behind him, Ame asleep with her head resting on her mother's shoulder.

"Hi, Temari," she said coolly, though politely. Temari returned the cool greeting, and Naruto suddenly felt the urge to be anywhere but where he was sitting. Kya evidently had the same urge, because she managed to wriggle her way out of her mother's arms and ran off to play with her half-siblings. "Naruto, sweetheart, Ame's rather tired so I'm going to take her home. Are you coming with us, or will you stick around here for a little longer?"

"I'll be along shortly," Naruto promised, kissing her cheek. "As Hokage, I just have to stick around a little longer to give the closing address, and then I'll be right home." Sakura gave him a small smile as Naruto kissed Ame's cheek, before she strode out, ignoring Temari. "I'm sorry about that," Naruto said, turning back to Temari as he wiped at the marker on his face. "Sakura just… she's not happy that I was intimate with other women while she was being raped by Sasuke. Every now and then she has some bad days, days where the memories haunt her, and she sometimes accuses me of purposefully leaving her to his machinations for so long. I know she doesn't mean it."

"It's gotta be tough on her," Temari said sympathetically as she watched Kya play with Hiroshi. "I can't imagine the trauma that would have inflicted. That's why most Kunoichi opt to commit suicide when they're captured by the enemy; they would rather die than go through that torture."

"Yes, well, Sasuke and Madara managed to remove everyone's chakra. They removed it _completely_; no shinobi or Kunoichi in this entire village has ever felt that sheer deprivation before. The natural influence of chakra on the muscles was gone, and they hadn't felt so weak since the day they were born. That alone caused too much fear for anyone to do anything in defiance, including suicide; after all, what might happen to their families without them there?" Temari glanced sideways at him, noting the dark shadows in his eyes, and she knew that he was thinking of the horrific scene that he had found at the Hyuuga compound years ago.

* * *

_He had mentioned it to her once when he had been spending time with her and Kya a few years ago. During a walk, he had lead them almost right to the compound before he suddenly realized where they were, and he quickly made them switch their path, confusing Temari and causing her to ask why. Once they were at the park and Kya had found some little children to play with, he told her the story of the night he and Kakashi had entered the remains of the compound. She had nearly vomited as he told her of the pile of bodies, split between male and female; how the women, no matter their age, had all been stripped, raped, and then murdered. How the heads of every Hyuuga at the compound had been posted on spikes, how the buildings were burned, and of how, even years later, he still saw the horrified expression on Hanabi's face, how he knew that Sasuke had raped her and removed her head himself._

* * *

"You know it wasn't your fault," she said, putting a hand on his shoulder. He nodded silently, his eyes still dark as he strode to the front of the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming out tonight," he said to the assembly. "Unfortunately, the party here is at its end, but I'm sure that given some of the legendary hedonists here tonight, there will be dozens of other parties throughout the Village. I hope you all have a wonderful night with your friends and family, and I wish you all a Happy New Year." Stepping down from the stage, he gave her a polite hug as people began to leave the Poison Thorn. "I'm glad I got to see you two tonight," Naruto said, giving Kya a kiss on the cheek when he managed to grab onto her. They said their goodbyes, and Naruto disappeared in a yellow flash, headed home.

* * *

Kakashi lay in bed with Anko, gently kissing his wife's bare shoulder as she cuddled against him, her hair falling beautifully across her face and the pillow. Anko shivered slightly, rolling over to look her husband in the eyes as she gently ran a hand over his muscled chest. "Happy New Year's," she whispered, pushing him onto his back and straddling him. They both gasped quietly as she guided him into her, beginning to bounce once he was fully sheathed, and Kakashi sat up, wrapping his arms around his wife and locking her into a searing kiss. Anko moaned as her breasts were pushed against his chest, feeling every inch of his heated skin where it pressed against her body.

Their joy was interrupted when they heard a baby's wail, and both groaned in disappointment. "It's my turn," Kakashi said as he extricated himself from his wife's arms, pulling on a robe as he left the room. She pulled on her own robe as she followed him, and was greeted with the sight of her husband gently cradling their three-month old son. "It's alright, Daddy's here Sakumo," he murmured as he gently rocked young Sakumo in his arms. Kakashi offered their son a bottle, but Sakumo ignored it, cooing as his father held him. "He's clean and he's not hungry," Kakashi told her. "He just wanted to see his parents."

"Hey sweetheart," Anko whispered as she stuck her head over her husband's shoulder, smiling softly at their child. "Mommy and Daddy are right here, little one." Anko gently lifted him from Kakashi's arms and holding him to her chest, his head resting against her shoulder. She gently began to sing to him as Kakashi sat in the leather chair they had left in the nursery, and she sat on her husband's lap.

**"Hush now, my baby**

**Be still, love, don't cry**

**Sleep as you're rocked by the stream**

**Sleep and remember my soft lullaby**

**So I'll be with you when you dream…" **

By the end of the song, Sakumo was sound asleep, and she put him back into his crib.

"That was a nice lullaby," Kakashi told her as they walked back to their room.

"I think it was sung to me by my mother before she disappeared," Anko told him. "I changed the word 'last' to 'soft' because I plan on sticking around."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Kakashi told her as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Anko melted into his arms, and the two fell asleep minutes later.

* * *

"She was flirting with you, Naruto! Why can't you get it through your thick skull?! You're supposed to be an Assassin, these things are supposed to be obvious to you!"

"My relationship with Temari is in the past, Sakura!" Naruto yelled back at her. Sakura had evidently gone into one of her moods, and as soon as Naruto had gotten home she snapped on him. "I chose _you,_ Sakura. I chose you over the women in this Village, in her Village, in every Village in the goddamned Elemental Nations and _still_ you torment me! When will I prove myself to you?!" he roared in anger, slamming his fist on the granite countertop, cracks spider-webbing their way across the stone surface. Sakura's eyes narrowed at him, and she stomped to the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

_That was ill-handled, _Kurama told him as Naruto growled, stalking out of the house and into the snow-covered streets.

_Yes, I realize that, _Naruto replied gruffly, charging up the side of a building and climbing effortlessly. He reached the roof within a second, pulling himself onto the snow-slicked tin and running, compensating effortlessly for the shifting snow and wet metal. He reached the end of the roof and leapt to the next, actually sliding a few feet forward as he landed, before allowing himself to slide back down and fall off the roof, grabbing the edge and swinging himself forward. He silently caught a window ledge, before releasing it and falling down until he caught another window ledge. He repeated until he was on the ground, before he began running once more.

* * *

An hour later, Naruto walked back into his house, pulling off his wet cloak and boots. He put the garments in their respective places, and, seeing that his and Sakura's bedroom door was open, he tiptoed in, closing the door and undressing. As soon as he was finished, he quietly slid into bed next to his wife, wrapping his arm around her.

"I'm sorry I yelled earlier," she murmured, pressing her bare form against him. "Why don't you let me make it up to you?"

Naruto remained silent as she slowly turned, climbing on top of him until she was straddling his waist. The covers fell off of her as she took him in her, allowing her bare breasts to be seen in the dim light. Groaning as she ground against him, Naruto placed his hands on her hips as she began bouncing, her hair and breasts following the motion. Resting her hands on his on her waist, she bit her lip cutely as she bounced. He let out a throaty groan as he released, his seed spraying deep into her womb. "I'm sorry," he murmured at her curious expression. "I'm just too tired to continue tonight, love."

"Alright," she whispered, leaning forward and covering them with the blankets. She lay on top of him, her head resting on his chest, leaving him inside her as she snuggled against him. "Goodnight, Naruto."

"Goodnight, Sakura."

* * *

Well, I hope you guys enjoyed it. Review, and tell me how I did.

-Zeratide, out.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey everyone! Well, I was a little surprised that the last chapter got no reviews whatsoever. I hope it wasn't a huge disappointment to you guys. Here's Chapter 3.

* * *

_Previously…_

_She lay on top of him, her head resting on his chest, leaving him inside her as she snuggled against him. "Goodnight, Naruto."_

_"Goodnight, Sakura."_

* * *

In the underground tunnels of the former ROOT Headquarters, five people sat around a table where years ago Madara had planned his takeover of the Leaf. Three men and two women shouted back and forth at each other, each trying to get a word in edgewise.

"Is this what passes as Templars these days?" a high, cold voice asked. The assembly silenced almost instantly, observing the man appearing from the shadows. Little about him was remarkable, noteworthy; he wore simple black pants, a simple black jacket, and a simple black hooded cloak that hung to his ankles. The visible skin was not tanned, but not pale; black, jagged hair hung to his shoulders. His face was covered in black bandages, leaving only his eyes visible. Crimson and black eyes gleamed from beneath the hood, and the Templars looked curious.

"I had heard you were dead," one man said, turning in his chair to observe the intruder.

"Is that so?" the cloaked man replied, sitting at the head of the table. "I must say, that seems to happen a lot these days, doesn't it? Well, not so much today as… what, it must have been four years now? During the war, thousands of the dead killed the living. What exactly makes you think I am dead?"

"The Assassin Grand Master Naruto claimed to have killed you with his own hand. Slit your throat, left you dead at the Valley of the End."

"Oh…" the man replied, nodding knowingly as he held up a finger. "I'm afraid you have the wrong man. Sasuke Uchiha _is_ dead, I'm afraid. When the Fox kills, his enemies stay dead."

"Then just who are you?" a woman asked, rolling a knife across her knuckles as though it were a coin. The hooded man smiled, tossing a pouch onto the table, the worn leather falling apart and spilling thousands of ryo on the table.

"Any more questions?"

* * *

"Oh… right there, Naruto… don't stop…"

Naruto groaned as Sakura ground her buttocks against his pelvis, the round flesh jiggling as he thrust into her from behind. Her face was pressed deep into the pillows, her hands knotted in the sheets as her husband continued with wild abandon. She had woken him up this morning, asking if he was ready to continue what they had started earlier, and this time they were celebrating New Year's the way they had meant to last night. The headboard was beginning to rattle, and Sakura began screaming as Naruto jackhammered, bringing his wife to a gushing conclusion even as he sprayed his seed deep into her womb.

The doorknob rattled, but the locked door stayed closed. "Mommy? Are you alwight?" Ame's voice called through the door. "I heawd scweaming, and I was wowwied."

"Mommy's alright," Naruto called out, since Sakura was still a little fuzzy beneath him. "She saw a spider, but Daddy got it." Sakura finally managed to lift herself up onto all fours, looking over her shoulder at him. _More,_ she mouthed, grinding to point out he was still inside her, and Naruto swallowed hard to try and steady his voice. "Just go back to sleep, sweetheart. It's still early, and you shouldn't be up just yet. After last night's party, you should still be asleep." He was answered with silence for a few minutes, before he heard the sound of her walking away. "Sometimes I think you _want_ to be caught," he told Sakura as he began thrusting again.

"I need you in me," she told him as she threw her head back, her tongue hanging out of her mouth. He felt her release again, and he continued on as she barely managed to keep herself on all fours. "I just… I don't know, I just_ crave_ you so much recently." She came again, and Naruto looked at her with concern, pulling out of her.

"You need to get checked, Sakura. You've never been this sensitive before. Something might be wrong with your nerves endings. Hypersensitivity could be a big problem." Sakura groaned, but rose from the bed, dressing as he did the same. "Look, I've got to get to work soon, so why don't you go see Tsunade? I'll see you later tonight after the paperwork's done for the New Year's Report, and we'll talk about whatever you find out, okay?" Sakura nodded, and Naruto strode out, disappearing in the snow.

* * *

Naruto silently went about the housework that afternoon once the paperwork was done, contemplating the information Kiba had managed to give him, or rather the lack thereof. No one knew who the mystery man was, no one knew where he might be found, and no one knew if he even actually existed. As he split wood on a stump with a hatchet he imagined that the shortened logs were the limbs of the mystery man. His anger sped his movements more and more until he was hacking violently at the stump itself, wood chips flying everywhere.

"Daddy?" a scared voice said behind him, and he whipped around to find Ame cowering several feet away. "I… I asked Mommy if I could go and sleep over at Auntie Shizune's and Hiroshi's, and she told me to ask you."

"Yeah," Naruto said, tossing the hatchet away. "Yeah, you can go." Ame ran off, and he sunk heavily into a snow bank, running his hands through his hair. _Now I'm scaring my own daughter,_ he thought. _Great. Another argument with Sakura I'll have to come out of looking like the bad guy. Could this day get any worse?_

_It very well might_, Kurama replied, and Naruto sighed as a Master Assassin appeared around the edge of his house. She wore the standard uniform of the Master Assassin, save for the crimson scarf she wore around her lower face, blending with her hair. "Karin," Naruto acknowledged, putting another log on the stump. "What can I do for you?"

"Master… we found two bodies tied together. They were decapitated, and the heads were sewn on the body of the other person. Naruto… it's Konohamaru and Udon."

* * *

Naruto stood in the sectioned off alley, dressed in his Grand Master Blacks. Kakashi stood beside him, debriefing the Assassins who had discovered the bodies as Naruto gazed intently at the boys on the ground before him. _Cause of death was definitely decapitation, as Karin said. There are no visible marks on the bodies. No sign of a struggle, either… not even their footprints. They weren't killed here. There's no blood anywhere._ Kneeling in front of the bodies tied so they were sitting back-to-back, Naruto gently turned the heads, examining the stitches. _No coating of blood… they were cleaned with remarkable precision. The clothes were washed as well. Very precise, detailed stitch work…_ Activating his Hidden Blade, he gently cut through the stitches, removing Udon's head from Konohamaru's body.

"Kakashi," he said, beckoning at the man. "Tell me what you see about this. What's so unusual about this decapitation?" The man turned Udon's head over in his hands with a detached professionalism, closely observing the neck.

"Whatever weapon was used to decapitate them was very sharp. It was a smooth, clean kill. Furthermore, the weapon went _through_ one of the spinal discs rather than between, which is usually the easiest way to decapitate. Even for someone of shinobi caliber, that kind of kill is unheard of."

"Exactly," Naruto said, taking the head back from Kakashi. Gazing into Udon's eyes, he shook his head, setting the young boy's head on the boy's lap. Standing up, he walked forward a dozen or so feet before turning back to Kakashi. "This is outside the crime scene, right?" he asked. The older man nodded, and Naruto gave a brief nod in return, before turning and emptying his stomach onto the ground.

"Pack it up, Assassins," Kakashi said as Naruto continued to vomit. "I want everyone, ANBU and Assassin on double patrol. We have a killer on our hands, a psychopath, and until we bring him in there is the possibility that we'll find more corpses. What are you, deaf? I said MOVE OUT!" he shouted, shoving some of the lower level Assassins until they ran off.

Naruto sucked hard, spitting out the last of the bile before he straightened up, wiping his mouth. "Bring me _his_ head, Kakashi," Naruto growled out, sealing the bodies into a scroll. "You get them prepared for burial with full honors, you put them in the ground, then you _bring me his head._" The man nodded, taking the scroll and disappearing. Naruto stared silently at the place where Konohamaru had sat. _I wonder…_

* * *

Nathan came out of the memory in the usual fashion, waiting as he was unhooked and his head stopped spinning. "Arianna," he murmured to his sister, "water." He drank deep and long from the bottle she gave him, before he finally rose from the Animus, rolling his neck. "Tell Rosa I'm going out for a run," he told his sister, not waiting for an answer. He left the room, walking casually down the hall until he came to the window. It was just a few seconds until he was on the ground, and he jogged through what had once been the main street of the Village. Closing his eyes, he could almost smell the food from the vendors' stalls, hear the chattering of men, women, and children. When he opened his eyes, he stood in the exact center of the town, and he saw flickering shapes around him. Turning, he saw a bare-chested man holding a young child to his chest, a tomahawk in his hand. In the blink of an eye, the blade was covered in blood, the babe was crying, and the men were falling to the ground, corpses before they hit the snow.

_Naruto?_

* * *

Naruto tiredly trudged through the Village a few weeks after the murders, dressed in Assassin Whites rather than his Grand Master Blacks so as to escape too much attention. A few inclined their heads as he passed, murmuring "Assassin," and he nodded back politely. _Just a few hours without recognition,_ he thought as he palmed his eyes. Working his way to the Hot Springs, he sighed when he made it into the changing rooms. Shrugging off his cloak, he pulled off his shirt, draping a towel casually over his shoulders, rolling his neck. He felt someone tap his shoulder, and he turned, a growl of annoyance rumbling in his throat.

It turned into a scream of pain as a blade slid through his shoulder, hoisting him into the air and pinning him to a wall.

The spear quickly became coated in his blood, forcing the man holding it to let go: the blade was far enough in the wall that it held the blonde in the air on its own. "So good to see you again, Naruto," he drawled in a high, cold voice. "But of course, you don't remember me." He leaned forward, a bandaged face appearing beneath the depths of the hood. "After all, I was just collateral damage, a man burned when you set the Tower ablaze… a common prisoner the great Assassin saw unfit to even acknowledge…" The man licked Naruto's blood of the shaft of the spear, shuddering as he did. "So full of life, yet so easily broken." The man grasped the spear and yanked it out of Naruto's shoulder, the young Assassin landing hard on the concrete floor.

"Who are you?" Naruto hissed, his wound itching as Kurama's chakra began to heal the damage. "Why bear _me_ hatred? I did not throw you into those cells."

"Why did _you_ kill Sasuke? _You_ abandoned the Leaf, _you_ failed to keep your promise to your wife. How well it worked for you: for a broken vow, you gained a whore's battered cunt."

"Insult me as you wish, but do not think to smear my wife's honor," Naruto said, rising to his feet. "And of course you believe it's my fault. I've heard the same line from a thousand Templars from a thousand lifetimes."

"In time, we shall collide," the man said, calmly walking away. "This was just a message, like the deaths of your little admirers. I can get to you and everyone you love, and you can't do anything to stop me. Names mean nothing; a Sarutobi was the first to die, and he will not be the last. Your men could not find me then; they will not find me now." He disappeared into the shadows, but his voice lingered for a moment longer. "All that you know is at an end."

Naruto grit his teeth as he sunk to the floor. Healed though he may be, Kurama could not fix blood lost so fast, and his head spun as he lost consciousness.

* * *

Temari sat on one of the bluffs in the Sand Village, watching Kya run around with other four-year olds. Sighing in contentment, she briefly glanced away at the Village she had called home for so many years. Memories rose unbidden, and she could almost see the places she and Naruto had snuck around for midnight walks, or a quick roll in the sand. Their passion had only lasted a few weeks before he had to leave, and she remembered the panic and fear she had felt the day he left. It was the same day she had found out she was pregnant. She had immediately gone to her little brother, crying rather pitifully on the young Kazekage's shoulder, explaining everything that had happened. When he urged her to tell Naruto, she had refused, and made him swear not to tell the blonde of her predicament.

_No good would have come of telling him then,_ she thought, maintaining the belief after all these years. _He would have done the 'honorable' thing and married me. We both would have been unhappy then, him feeling as though I had denied him the chance to ever be with the woman of his dreams and I knowing that he would loath me for it. But no matter what happened, I will always be grateful for those nights, if only because they gave me Kya._

Said little girl came running up to her, grabbing her hand and pulling her mother toward where she was playing, and Temari laughed, allowing her daughter to take her wherever she wanted.

* * *

Naruto awoke quietly in the hospital, finding consciousness in an empty room, leaving him to empty thoughts. After several minutes, he pushed the button to bring in the nurse, and smiled when it was Sakura who walked through the doors. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?" she asked him as she bent over him, checking the area the spear had pierced his shoulder.

"I've taken worse injuries," he told her, smiling weakly as her fingers probed the site. He grimaced slightly, but he managed to stay conscious. "It was the man I saw during the race," he told her, sitting up despite her protestations. "He admitted to killing Konohamaru and Udon, and implied that there will be more corpses soon."

"If you don't lay back down there's going to be a corpse here," she told him, pressing firmly on his chest, and Naruto obeyed his wife, albeit with an exasperated roll of the eyes. "Now, I'll tell Kakashi what happened. He'll carry the message to the other Assassins and see to it that the man is caught. Go to sleep, Naruto, and I promise everything will work out fine." She strode to the door, pausing in the frame before turning back to her husband. "Oh, Tsunade told me why I've been experiencing hyper-sensitivity… turns out I'm pregnant."

* * *

Kiba grunted and sweated as he trained in the ring he had built in his home, the structure just outside of the Inuzuka Kennels. A half-dozen swinging posts had weights hung from the end that turned the dummy as he hit one side, training him to block incoming attacks. In addition, a series of ropes were pulled taut in various angles, forcing him to lean, roll, jump, and step as the swinging poles affected the ropes' locations. His knife was slowly working its way out of his left hand, and his sword felt leaden in his right. A smash to one of the weights sent it spinning faster than he had anticipated, and when he turned to block the opposite weight smashed into his chest. For an instant he was back in that forest, watching a blade erupt between Sonia's breasts, and he roared in fury and agony, slicing clean through the weight.

"You're up awfully late for someone who has patrol in the morning," a voice called out from behind him, and he turned to see Hana leaning casually against the fence of the ring, her chin resting in her hands. "You're thinking about that girl again, aren't you?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. Kiba grunted, sheathing his sword, before working his way out of the ring. "You know, you'd probably feel better if you just rolled around in bed with some girl for a night," she said, punching his shoulder as he came out. "Look, if you have need of me just say so."

"Yeah, yeah," he said, brushing her off. The Inuzuka clan, like the dogs they were famous for, were very close. Also like the dogs, they occasionally would mate with their relatives. Brothers were known to sleep with sisters, cousins mated, and in the clan it was acceptable. Kiba himself had actually lost his virginity to Hana as a reward the day he had become a Chunin. Every now and then she would wander into his room naked, and he would pull her into his bed and ravage her, but they both knew they weren't going to marry one another, nor would they have kids with each other. Hell, once their mom had caught them in the act, and rather than scold them she had stripped naked and rode her son to her own orgasm.

"Come on," she said, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her breasts into his back. "Look, you need to relieve some stress. I need to feel a man inside of me. You know your big sister will please you."

"Fine," he muttered, shaking his head. "But tonight, I get to be on top."

* * *

_July 4th, 2017_

Naruto stamped and signed the last document as Sakura entered the room, trying to both carry an armful of files and press a hand to her back to support her swollen abdomen. _Seven months, and a few weeks,_ Naruto thought to himself as two ANBU appeared at his word, helping Sakura. His wife gratefully thanked them as they took the files, setting them down before they brought her a chair. "You ought to stay off your feet more," Naruto told her as he opened up the files, beginning to read through and sign the documents.

"I just wanted to talk to you real quick. I wanted to know if you would like to go out to dinner tonight at Ichiraku's Italian," she said, citing the restaurant the Ichiraku family had built as thanks for the money Naruto had invested in them. Naruto smiled, kissing his wife softly on the lips before stating his assent. "Alright. I'll see you tonight at seven."

Naruto sighed as he poured through the documents, hissing whenever he got a paper cut. Sighing once again, he shoved the papers away, leaning back in his chair before he pulled out a guitar. His fingers flew across the strings in ways he had learned from his ancestors, playing to calm himself. In his tired state, he thought of one song he had heard one of the visiting Assassins sing, and began to play it.

"I can't get to sleep… I think about the implications… of diving in too deep… and possibly the complications. Especially at night… I worry over situations… I know will be alright… perhaps it's just imagination. Day after day it reappears… night after night, my heartbeat… shows… the fear… ghosts… appear and fade… away."

"Naruto," Sakura's voice interrupted over the intercom, and he pressed the button. "There's a man to see you here. He says he would like to see you down here in the lobby."

"Alright, I'll be right down." Getting up from his seat, he set the guitar aside, rolling his neck as he lifted up the cowl, his face disappearing in the shadows of the hood. Striding quickly through the hallways, his black robes flapped around his ankles as he walked. It took him a minute until he reached the stairs, getting a clear view of everyone in the lobby. Turning to gaze at the man standing in front of Sakura's desk, his blood froze as he saw the hooded man who had run him through. The figure met his gaze, and before he could scream out a warning, he raised a pistol, and aimed square at Sakura's face.

Naruto heard a bang, and felt his world end.

* * *

Well, there you are guys. Hope you enjoyed it. Review and tell me how I did.

-Zeratide, out.


	4. Chapter 4

_Previously…_

_The figure met his gaze, and before Naruto could scream out a warning, he raised a pistol, and aimed square at Sakura's face._

_Naruto heard a bang, and felt his world end._

* * *

The next several seconds were a blur as Naruto's rage and shock took over. His vision went red, and he felt a powerful surge of Kurama's chakra, though the Bijuu wasn't trying to escape or manipulate its host. Naruto himself tapped into the reserve, and when he finally came to his senses, he was standing in the center of the atrium, and the corpses of the man and the people who had entered with him were but mangled remains. A bloody mist clung to the air for several seconds before dispersing, and the walls were blackened and scarred. _I wasn't fast enough to save everyone,_ he thought numbly to himself as he saw the bullet-riddled corpses of all the shinobi and civilians who had been in the atrium at the time.

_Sakura…_ He stared at the bloody, mangled remains of his wife's head, sobs trying to work their way past a throat as tight as if it were being strangled. Already the faint sounds of an invasion were reaching his ears, and in one heart-wrenching moment, he realized that it was coming from the direction of the wall, where Ame was staying with Shizune and Hiroshi again.

* * *

"Quickly, son, hide in here," Shizune told Hiroshi as she opened up a false panel underneath her bed. Hiroshi quickly crawled in, following the tunnel it led into, and Shizune called for Ame to get in. The girl was huddled at the end of the hallway, her eyes wide with fear as she stared into Shizune's room. "Ame, please!" Shizune called, frantically looking out the window as she heard the front gate being broken. The little girl shook her head, and Shizune swallowed hard. _I shouldn't abandon my son,_ she thought to herself even as she got up and ran to where Ame was cowering. The door was bashed in as she lifted the girl up onto her back, and as she ran toward the tunnel, three men ran into the hallway, spotting them instantly.

Each fired a shot, and in a heartbeat she was sprawled on the floor, unable to move.

Hot blood poured from the hole the first man's bullet had put in her right shoulder. The second round had just missed her, but the third round had entered straight into her spine. Shizune's eyes were almost completely white with fear when she realized that Ame wasn't moving on top of her. The little girl made no sound to indicate that she was breathing, and tears poured from her eyes as she realized that her negligence had resulted in Ame's death. The last man entered the hallway as the man who had fired the third round strode forward, intent on finishing the job. He pulled a large-headed tomahawk from his belt, a frenzied grin on his face, and Shizune closed her eyes, waiting for oblivion.

Her eyes jerked open as she heard the sound of shattering glass, and she watched as Naruto broke through the window, rolling as he landed. As he came up, he lashed out with a long, jagged piece of glass, slicing open her would-be murderer's throat. A second later the man's tomahawk was in the Assassin's hand, and Naruto lay about him in a wild-eyed frenzy, hacking and slashing until there was a small pile of limbs and torsos in her hallway. "Are you alright?" Naruto asked as he knelt by Shizune, gently lifting Ame off of the woman. Shizune opened her mouth to respond, but Ame spoke.

"Daddy?" she murmured, tears pouring from her eyes. "Daddy, I'm hurt. I…I can't move. It hurts so bad!" she screamed, tears pouring from her eyes from the agony. "Daddy, I'm hurt and I'm cold, make it stop!" Shizune paled as she saw that the bullet that had pierce her spine in the center of the back had gone through the girl first, completely shredding her abdomen and the organs located there. Naruto's own eyes began to shed tears as he saw that the girl's wounds were obviously fatal.

"Sweetheart," he murmured, gently setting her on the floor and casually moving so that his body blocked Shizune's line of sight. "Daddy's going to make the pain stop, okay? Just… just close your eyes. Close your eyes, and think of something sweet. Remember that puppy you wanted Daddy to get you? Think about him." Shizune nearly vomited when she heard the almost-silent sound of the Hidden Blade ejecting.

When the young girl's body jerked, she did.

* * *

Kakashi roared in a mixture of fury and fear as he slew another assailant. Anko quickly followed him as he ran, holding little Sakumo to her chest as they went. Several lower-ranked Assassins joined them, and Kakashi's shouts would double when they fell one by one beneath the onslaught of the attackers. "I'm running out of ammunition," he murmured to himself as the seventh wave fell. His .45 sidearm needed a fresh clip soon, and he was down to his last two. The sword in his right hand would last, but against superior weaponry such as firearms, he knew that it was only a matter of time before he and his family were killed. "Anko, listen to me," he told her, grabbing her shoulders. "We're not going to make it at this rate. If I can get to the rooftops, I can draw their fire and – "

"No!" she shouted, lurching free from his grasp. "I won't lose you! I love you, Kakashi, and I can't… I just can't." Sakumo started to wail, and Kakashi cringed as he heard a shout that meant the invaders had heard. Raising the gun, he prepared for yet another ambush. Instead, he was met with the sound of the men screaming in terror before their cries were suddenly silenced. Several seconds passed, the only sound that of the people and explosions far away, before Naruto appeared around a corner, holding a girl of no more than two to his bare chest, blood dripping from a tomahawk in his left hand.

"I'll clear a path," Naruto said, his voice cold and detached. Kakashi noticed two scrolls tied to his hip, one labeled 'Corpses,' the other labeled 'Wounded.' When Kakashi saw the look in Naruto's eyes, his blood chilled, and he made a silent prayer for Sakura and Ame. "Shizune is paralyzed, but I ought to be able to fix her spine. Hiroshi made it to the tunnels, so Kiba will be able to keep him safe." Sai appeared next to Naruto, his augmented arm slick with blood, Tenten hot on his heels. Naruto handed the child off to the woman, before switching his tomahawk to his right hand, drawing a Desert Eagle in his left (AN: Heh). "Check your ammunition," Naruto said, inserting a clip. "We're going to move hard and fast, providing a distraction as the civilians escape through the tunnels to the forest rendezvous point.

"I'm out of ammo," Sai said, tossing his Barrett M107 sniper rifle to the side. "I have a bow and some arrows though. I'll take the high ground and provide stealthy cover fire." Naruto nodded, and Sai disappeared to the rooftops.

Kakashi reloaded, holding his pistol in his left hand as he sheathed his sword, before switching it to his primary hand. Naruto tossed him a ballistics knife, and the older shinobi switched it to a proper grip, thumb hovering over the eject button for the blade as they moved toward the edge of the building. Anko held Sakumo tightly, making sure the boy was quiet as she sent a few snakes slithering out ahead. The serpents made it five feet before they were riddled with bullets, and Naruto leapt around the corner, firing rapidly in the direction of their attackers. They charged, sending a storm of bullets, blades, arrows, and in Anko's case, fire jutsu flying at the enemy as they ran.

* * *

Temari adjusted her seat in the cart rolling over the grassy trails in the forests several miles outside Konoha. Kya bounced in her seat as she excitedly watched all the trees and flowers pass by, talking nonstop about how excited she was to see her daddy. Kya wore the red silk kimono Naruto had sent her in advance for her birthday, while Temari wore a matching dress with a see-through pink shawl. The dress had a small diamond cutout at the abdomen, showing off the toned stomach she had worked hard to regain after her pregnancy, while she had also let her hair down, the blond locks falling in jagged waves.

"Kya, try and stay just a little bit still, okay? You don't want to upset the pretty horses pulling the carriage, do you?" The little girl shook her head, plopping down onto her seat, and Temari went back to reading, engaged in _The Count of Monte Cristo_. Minutes rolled by, and as she read the tale of Edmond Dantes, Kya frowned, then fidgeted, then started bouncing in her seat again. Temari rolled her eyes in exasperation, but remained silent until the cart stopped. When she looked out the window, her heart leapt to her throat.

A long line of people walked past the cart, most covered in blood and dirt. A few carts rolled through, but she could see that almost all were on foot, and her heart stopped when she saw Naruto's Assassins interspersed in the crowd. She searched for her former lover, unable to see him. Ordering Kya to stay put, she exited the cart, moving past the men speaking with her driver. "Naruto!" she called, searching for his black Grand Master's robes. "Naruto!" She saw a large cluster of men escorting three men bound and gagged in a transport cart, and Naruto suddenly appeared from amongst the throng, his eyes cold and dead. Running up to him, she put her hands on his shoulders, stopping him. "What's going on?"

"Konoha was besieged. There's nothing left for us there. With your permission as a Representative for the Kazekage, I as Hokage request temporary asylum for my people." Temari quickly granted it, before ushering him into the carriage as it turned around, accompanying the refugees back to Suna. "Kya," he murmured as he sat across from his daughter. "You look more beautiful every time I see you." Kya beamed, jumping up to hug her father, and after several moments' hesitation Naruto embraced her lightly, before quickly releasing her, much to the girl's displeasure. "Sakura and Ame… they're gone," he choked out, and Temari gazed at him in shock as his shoulders shook, revealing the effort of holding back his tears.

* * *

Several minutes after dark, Naruto strode through the camp they had set up, slipping between fires, hidden always in shadow. Not a single soul saw him, until he stepped into plain sight next to the prisoner cart, Kiba and Sai straightening even more. "Mentor," they said, bowing in the Assassin manner.

"Find a table no one wants, then bring it over to my campfire at the edge of the field," he ordered. "Once done, pick the most disposable of this lot and send them along as well. Sai, you and Tenten will escort the man, and stay during the following interrogation." The men saluted, shouting orders to the other Assassins, and he disappeared into shadow once again. They did not leave him waiting for long; within ten minutes he was sitting across from the small fellow as he regained consciousness.

A large crack of fire caused him to glance at the torch he had lit from the fire, the item just a foot away so as to cast adequate light. Turning back to his captive, he snapped his fingers, pointing at Tenten and Sai. "Hold his arms down next to each other," he said, and they slammed him down on the table, holding him in an iron grip. As the man came to full consciousness, Naruto drew two of his throwing knives from his pauldron, setting them on the table. Next he drew the tomahawk he had taken from the man he slew, setting it on the table as well. Picking up the two knives, he stood, holding them near the blazing cinders at the bottom of the torches' brazier until the steel blades glowed red. Ignoring the man's whimpering, he pulled the blades from the fire.

With one swift motion, he stabbed the blades deep into the center of the man's hands.

"Steel to cut, and fire to cauterize," Naruto said calmly as the man screamed in agony. He casually held the blade of the tomahawk over the fire, watching as the sides of the steel began to glow. "I won't have you bleed out on me before I'm done with you. Next I remove your hands at the wrist. Afterward, your forearms go at the crease of the elbow, followed by the remainder of your arm at the shoulder. After that, I will have my subordinates hold you in place while I remove your feet, followed by your leg below the knee, then your entire leg at the hip."

"You monster!" the man screamed out, spitting on Naruto's face. The Mentor sighed, before his right hand flashed, bringing down his father's katana on both his wrists with one swift move. Before the man could scream, Naruto pressed the glowing side of the tomahawk against the stumps, cauterizing the wounds instantly.

"If I haven't got the answers by then, I'll carve your nose from your face. After that I will take your chin. Then I will burn your eyes closed, making sure that the last thing you ever see will be cherry-red steel melting your eyes like jelly."

"Mercy!" the man whimpered, tears pouring from his eyes and snot running from his nose. Naruto remained silent as the man blubbered, staring at his severed hands. Finally losing his patience, Naruto grabbed him by the chin, wrenching his face around so they stared into each other's eyes.

"Who were you working for?!" he demanded, pressing the edge of his tomahawk into the crease of the man's elbow.

"Orochimaru!" he screamed, thrashing against the Assassins holding him down. "I swear, it was Orochimaru! Please… mercy…" Naruto's eyes narrowed, before he hefted the tomahawk, still glowing dimly.

"Here's your mercy," he said, and with one powerful stroke he severed the man's head from his body.

* * *

Hours later, Naruto sat in the fork of a tree, staring down at the fires below him, listening to the sounds that drifted on the wind. _Ame,_ he thought to himself, whispering her name into the wind. The cruel element instantly snatched it away, erasing all existence it had ever been there. Naruto felt the tears begin to fall, and he listened as Kiba, Sai, Tenten, and a number of drunken Assassins sang around a fire.

"Red! The blood of angry men! Black! The dark of Ages past! Red! The world about to dawn! Black! The night that ends at laaaaaaaaasssstttt!"

Naruto continued to cry, hearing the spirit they still held for the fight, before he sang his own, quiet version of the song.

"Red… a daughter now is dead… Black… my soul is in despair… Red… my wife's blood on my hands… Black… my world without her there…"

* * *

A woman walked through the remains of the Hokage Tower, observing the destruction the Assassin's Mentor had wrought. _The blood runs strong in him, to be able to use his Demon's power,_ she thought to herself. She came to the body of her servant, observing the burns and mauling he had taken. "You certainly angered him," she said, crouching down to look at the remains of his face. "What exactly were you hoping to gain from such an action?"

The corpse shifted, before the chest split open and Orochimaru slithered out, covered in the slime and liquids he always wore when using his method of Substitution. "Psychological crippling," he said, getting his feet on the ground before beginning to clean himself off. "Naruto believed that he was able to protect everyone, that his bloodline and his skills always had him one step ahead of the Templars. His people loved him, hell, they nearly worshipped him. Make God bleed, and the people will lose their faith."

"You should have killed him," the woman said harshly. "You vowed yourself to me in exchange for all the power you were searching for. You will not have your immortality until you do as I have ordered you to do!" Orochimaru glared at her, opening his mouth to speak, but she silenced him, before continuing. "Desmond Miles had the highest concentration of First Civilization DNA in the world before his annihilation. With him gone, Naruto Uzumaki is the only threat left."

"If you want a ninja to die, you have to let a ninja handle it. Don't worry, you'll have your corpse… Juno."

* * *

Well, a shorter chapter this time, but I hope you guys liked it. Review, tell me how I did.

-Zeratide, out.


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